Msida

Msida, a University town with a yacht marina

Msida is a harbour town in East Malta, just 2.5km away from Valletta with a population of around 8,000 people. Most of the town centre has been reclaimed from the sea after the Second World War.

Msida became a parish in 1867; the parish church is dedicated to St. Joseph, whose festa is celebrated in July. This festa is particularly famous for the traditional game “il-Ġostra”, where participants walk along a greasy pole that is erected over water, to reach a prize attached to its end.

The town got its name from Arabic, the word means "a fisherman's dwelling" since Msida was previously an old fishing village. A few fishermen still work in the village; however a considerably-sized yacht marina was established in the port, attracting a number of yachts and luxury boats.

Today, Msida is a lively student town that attracts thousands of students daily. Over the years, Msida developed according to the needs of an increasing student population at the University of Malta, situated on a hill known as Tal-Qroqq. Another major school, known as the Junior College is on the other side of the town. Msida also hosts the Mater Dei General Hospital in its outskirts; the hospital was inaugurated by the Maltese Prime Minister, Dr. Lawrence Gonzi in June 2007.

The lower part of Msida lies at the opening of a valley and is a hub for heavy traffic crossing from the harbour region to the rest of Malta. When it rains, water from higher grounds collects in the valley and causes floods, bringing traffic flow to a halt.

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